Thailand Family Experience

Upon arrival at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, you will be met and greeted by our Exo Travel guide for transfer to your hotel.

This late afternoon half day trip will take you to discover one of the least-known-by-foreigners street areas of Bangkok around Bangrak district. Once in the area, you will be pointed out some good restaurants, mainly local ones, while enjoying sampling some street snacks. Your guide will also explain you how to use local modes of transportation like Tuk Tuk or local buses. Cool down with a local Thai Iced Coffee “Kafae Boran” or a fresh, cold fruit shake. After that, hop on a Tuk Tuk to River City Shopping Complex pier where you will take a ferry crossing to Khlongsan district and explore the local market in the area.

End your walking tour at the Jam Factory, a small industrial design complex with a modern book café and a unique furniture shop by a famous Thai artist. Located in the complex is The Never Ending Summer Restaurant, a cool industrial style Thai restaurant with authentic Thai taste, where you will enjoy a nice dinner in a cozy atmosphere (at your own expenses). After dinner, transfer back to the hotel.

Overnight in Bangkok.

After breakfast at the hotel, drive just an hour south of Bangkok to Samut Songkhram, the province that offers visitors a glimpse into Thai countryside life. We will start the day with a stop at a local train station to experience a short regional train ride bounding for an amazing country market that has sprouted along the railway tracks. Here, you will witness the dexterity and speed of the vendors as they quickly pack their stalls right before 08:30 am when the train approaches; hence bringing shopping to a brief halt. It is a standard practice and stall holders have learnt the art of assembling and reassembling their wares at a moment’s notice!

Then we will visit Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and take a long-tail boat ride through the canals and see how Thai people live alongside the labyrinth of canals in this area. Arrive at the famous Damnoen Saduak market where you can stroll around the colorful floating marketplace bustling with boats and vendors selling tropical fruits and other delights.

Return to Bangkok and free afternoon at leisure.

Overnight in Bangkok.

Breakfast at the hotel, and free day at leisure.

PM OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: Art and Culture of Bangkok’s Khlong

Start the tour in the early afternoon, board a private long-tail boat taking guests onto the peaceful Khlong Bang Luang. Pass by shop-houses, local temples and vendors on this waterway which was once a major trading route and lined with impressive homes of aristocrats.The guide will point out local landmarks and cultural idiosyncrasies of the area. After observing this lively area the boat stops at Baan Silapin, a 100-year old renovated house now home to an art gallery. Here stop for up to two hours to enjoy the gallery, take part in an art workshop or explore the local community, before experiencing a unique puppet show performed by puppeteers trained under the Joe Louis School of puppetry En-route back to the city stop to visit the Temple of Dawn – Wat Arun.

Time:1 p.m – 5 p.m

Note: Puppet show is not available on Mondays and Tuesdays (subject to change without notice)

Overnight in Bangkok

Breakfast at the hotel, and transfer out to Bangkok Airport for a flight to Chiang Mai. (Suggested morning flight).

Upon arrival in Chiang Mai, you will be met and greeted by our Exo Travel guide in Chiang Mai for transfer to your hotel in Pai.

En-route to Pai, a stop can be made at the pretty, 60-meter high, Mok Fah Waterfall and Pong Duad Hotspring located in Huay Nam Dang National Park. This powerful phenomenon spurts up from under the ground at a temperature of 99 degrees. Thai people believe its natural properties are good for the skin's complexion!

Arrive in Pai in the late afternoon, check in at the hotel.

In the evening, enjoy a stroll through the colourful Pai night markets for an evening snack or some hilltribe inspired crafts and gifts.

Overnight in Pai.

Following breakfast, we depart and continue south to Mae La Na (45 minutes), arguably one of the most picturesque valleys in Mae Hong Son province. Here, we are are invited to visit two communities; Baan Ja Bo (Lahu) and Baan Mae La Na (Shan). Situated 30 minutes walk within each other, we are privileged to be invited into their homes and communities to meet the people and learn about their unique and distinct cultures.

The Lahu people of Baan Ja Bo are colorful, flamboyant and welcoming. It’s known for its traditional medicine and wild traditional hill-tribe food. Here, a local village guide will escort you to explore the important cultural sites, introduce you to local craftsmen and craftswomen who will explain the the many different meanings of the colors of their traditional clothes. The guide will lead you to hike up the mountain to visit the Coffin cave, considered to be a sacred site by the Lahu people. You will be explained about local beliefs and how to behave in the caves, and shown locals’ rice fields and rotational rice farming system, as well as how locals live in harmony wit the forest. Enjoy a local lunch prepared by the villagers at Baan Ja Bo.

From here, enjoy a downhill walk (30 minutes) or drive through a stunning valley of majestic limestone cliffs to Baan Mae La Na. Here, you will be met by a local village guide who will lead you on the trail to visit the beautiful Coral cave. During your trek, enjoy the beautiful fertile mixed deciduous forest area where you will find the significant herbal plantation that locals always use as their traditional medicine.

Please note: These villages are part of a program called “Project for Recovery of Life and Culture” which helps communities prepare for meaningful community-based tourism projects that share culture, raise funds to conserve natural resources, train community guides and create income for local members.

Return to Pai for an overnight.

(Note: The program is not suitable for children under 7 years old.)

Following breakfast, continue further north to Tham Lod cave in the small town of Soppong (1.5 hours). This must- see historic cave is explored by bamboo raft via a tiny river that winds through the cave. You will disembark the raft 2- 3 times to explore the huge taverns that contain remains of ancient teak coffins that date back over 2,500 years and simple cave painting- all the while be accompanied by a local guide bearing a kerosene lantern. Indeed, Tham lod is considered a good example of community-based tourism as all of the guides at the cave are from the local Shan village.

Continue to a local restaurant for lunch and then travel onwards to Tam Pla park (1.5 hours). The park features a number of creeks running out of a cave and the waters are filled with soro brook carp fish. Return to hotel late afternoon.

Overnight in Pai.

(Note: The program is not suitable for children under 7 years old.)

Breakfast at the hotel. Check out and transfer from Pai to Chiang Mai.

Upon arrival in Chiang Mai, explore the old and modern city, including its old crumbling city walls, gates, moat, eclectic markets, residential areas, majestic foreign consulates, government buildings and Tapae Road, one of Chiang Mai’s main streets. Continue with a drive up to Doi Suthep Mountain for a visit to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Built in 1384 AD, this is the most sacred temple in Northern Thailand. Inside the temple, you will see one of the most sacred stupas in all of Thailand. A fantastic panoramic view over the city can be seen from here.

In the early evening, your guide will meet you at the hotel and take you to transfer by a local songtaew and travel by foot to explore a number of the evening street food markets around Chiang Mai city, trying out some northern Thai delicacies and learning how to order food in Thai. Your tour will finish around 9:00 pm.

Overnight in Chiang Mai. (b,d)

So you really want to live life at a local day? Today, you will experience a typical day in the life of a Thai person- no tourists, no sightseeing, just real life home cooking in a real Thai neighborhood.

Join Mr.Prapat in his family car and transfer 20 minutes to Hang Dong to spend the day with your ‘Thai family’. In true Thai style, slip into a pair of local ‘fisherman’s pants’ and discover the architecture of a traditional Thai house and rice barn. Your Thai family will also demonstrate their basket weaving skills, a tradition that has been in Thailand for centuries. Stroll around the small, family orchid and select fresh ingredients to add to the days cooking extravaganza. You will learn to cook traditional home cooked recipes with authentic Northern Thai flavors that are different from standard dishes offered in commercial cooking classes. Best of all, you will have the opportunity to get to know a real Thai family and be their house’s guest for the day. Enjoy a delicious home cooked lunch with your family (cooked together). In the afternoon, go for a stroll around the neighborhood to see some cottage industry goods being made before returning to Chiang Mai.

Overnight in Chiang Mai. (b,l)

Breakfast at the hotel. Free day at leisure or enjoy an optional activity.

Overnight in Chiang Mai (b)

Half Day Cycling - Wiang Khum Kham to Ban Tawai

Pick up from your hotel in downtown of Chiang Mai and transfer to Wiang Khum Kham. This cycling tour will be an introduction to Thai culture and that can best be done by doing as the locals do and go to temples and markets, as your guide will explain the importance of Buddhism in Thai culture. Exploring the ancient city of Wiang Khum Kham which dates back to the 13th Century. Just excavated in the 1980s after being buried under mud from the river, we can visit an ancient temple which has a spirit house where a former king’s spirit is said to reside.

We pass beautiful traditional teak houses and can say hello to the Thai men fishing in the Ping River. We enter some spacious grassy parkland and stop for some fruit and a cool drink. Head South to Ban Tawai, or being well known as The Village of Handicraft. The village is one being the largest handicraft market in Thailand. We reckon it makes for a fascinating place to wander around.

We’ll have a leisurely end along the banks of the Ping River. Set in manicured, quiet grounds next to the river you can admire the colonial style white buildings that include a church and hospital. The cycling distance is approximately 25 km on good quality flat tarmac roads. We stop often to refuel with water and fresh fruit. The tour ends at Wiang Khum Kham, we transfer you back to your hotel.

Time: 8 a.m– 12:30 p.m or 1 p.m– 5:30 p.m

Departure: Daily

Note: Cycling distance is approximately 25 km on good quality flat tarmac roads.The tour is not suitable for children under 6 years old.

Child is charged as an adult.
When booked please provide height of each client as this information is essential to secure the right bike size for the trip.
Minimum 2 persons.

Breakfast at the hotel, check out and transfer to Chiang Mai Airport for your onward flight. (b)